Wart - planter wart, wart removal, genital wart picture, symptoms and treatments

Warts are small, usually painless growths on the skin caused by a virus. They are generally harmless. However, warts can be disfiguring and embarrassing, and occasionally they itch or hurt (particularly on the feet). Warts are noncancerous skin growths caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), which stimulates the rapid growth of cells of the outer layer of your skin. More than 60 types of HPV occur. Warts are usually skin colored and feel rough to the touch, but can be dark, flat or smooth.

Warts

Warts can be treated with a herbal remedy consisting of lymphatic cleansers and tonics. The traditional herbs for the treatment of warts are cleavers, garlic, prickly ash or wormwood. External treatment for the quick removal of warts involves the herbs dandelion, used by expressing the white juice from fresh stems and applying directly, and Thuja, made into a tincture or lotion and then applied.

Warts are simply areas of skin that grow faster than normal due to the presence of the wart virus. Warts are skin-colored and feel rough to the touch. The technical name is verruca vulgaris. They are most common on the hands, feet and face but they can grow almost anywhere in the body. They are infectious and some people, especially children, are more susceptible than others.

Verruca Vulgaris. These can occur on any part of the body, but the areas usually affected are the exposed parts. The sites of choice are the hands and feet, around and under the nails, the arms, legs and less so, the face and scalp. Paronychial warts frequently occur in nail biters and cuticle pickers. These warts may occur singly or in groups. The lesions are flesh colored or somewhat darker, rounded or oval papules or nodules. The size of these varies from that of lentil seeds to split peas (sometimes bigger). Their verrucous surface is very typical; once seen, it is seldom missed. On the scalp, the wart may have a cauliflower-like appearance. The warts do not itch but subungual warts may be painful.

Koebner's phenomenon represented by linear groups of warts following inoculation of virus into scratch marks may be seen. In the beard region, they may take the form of finger-like processes; hence are called filiform warts. These spread by shaving by way of implantation.

A single common wart should be distinguished from Butcher's or postmortem wart (tuberculosis cutis verrucosus) which is marked by indurations around the periphery of the lesion. Verruca vulgaris should be distinguished from seborrhoeic warts which are multiple circumscribed, flat elevations, covered with dark, greasy scales. They occur mainly on the trunk, forehead and temples.

What are the causes of Warts?
As warts are caused by a virus infection, the body will build up resistance over a period of time and eventually the body will cause the warts to disappear. This may take months or sometimes years but is the natural way the body deals with warts. If they are allowed to disappear in this way it is less likely that a person will get any further ones as one will then be immune to that virus.

What are the symptoms of Wart?
The symptoms of warts are as follows:

Small, hard, flat or raised skin lesion or lump
Abnormally dark or light skin surrounding the lesion
Numerous small, smooth, flat (pinhead sized) lesions on forehead, cheeks, arms, or legs
Rough, round, or oval lesions on soles of feet; flat to slightly raised; painful to pressure
Rough growths around or under fingernails or toenails
What are the Types of wart?
There are differents types of Wart. Some of them are as follows:

Common Warts
Plantar warts
Genital warts
Flat warts
Subungual and periungual warts
Genital warts
Like anywhere else on the body, surface warts can also occur on the genitalia. Genital warts are usually transmitted by sexual contact. This can occur in both sexes and are usually located on the moist surface of genitalia. They start as minute reddish swellings and grow into grouped pedunculated lesions. The genital warts usually respond to local application of ointment (20% podophyllin in tincture benzoinco) but the treatment should be strictly according to consultation with a doctor. Remember, genital warts may be related to the development of cervical cancer.

Symptoms and Treatment of genital warts
Small, fleshy condyloma growths in genital or anal area: soft and reddish inside the body, darker growths outside. Large growths may be removed surgically or burned off. genital Warts can also return after treatment.

Vaginal Warts
What are the treatments for Warts?
Warts often disappear without treatment over a period of several months to years. However, since warts can be spread to others or new areas of the body, it is reasonable to treat most people, especially if the warts are bothersome or painful.

Over-the-counter medications can remove warts. These are applied to the wart every day for several weeks. Do not use these medications on your face or genitals. It helps to file the wart down when damp (for example, after a bath or shower) before applying these medications.

Special cushions are available at drugstores for plantar warts. These pads help relieve any pressure and pain from the warts.

Stronger (prescription) medications may be required for removal of persistent warts. Surgical removal or removal by freezing, burning , or laser treatment may be needed.

Immunotherapy, done by injecting a substance that causes an allergic reaction, may also be considered by your doctor.

DO NOT attempt to remove a wart yourself by burning, cutting, tearing, picking, or any other method.

Interestingly, placing duct tape over a wart may help it disappear. A small study had people wear duct tape for six straight days, remove it, wet and scrape the wart down using a file, and then reapply the tape the next morning. This was done until the wart disappeared, but no longer than two months. The people wearing the duct tape had as much luck getting rid of their warts as those who had their warts frozen off by a doctor. This method might be worth a try if you have a painless, yet unsightly wart.

Some Important Tips for Warts:
Avoid self treatment with over-the-counter preparations.
Seek professional podiatric evaluation and assistance with the treament of your warts.
Diabetics and other patients with circulatory, immunological or neurological problems should be especially careful with the treament of their warts.
Warts may spread and are catching. Make sure you have your warts evaluated to protect yourself and those close to you.
Avoid direct skin contact with a wart on someone else.
After filing your wart, wash the file carefully since you can spread the virus to other parts of your body.
After touching any of your warts, wash your hands carefully.